A lightning strike that destroyed the roof of a Leicester Gurdwara took place only 30 minutes after the building had been full of people.

Worshippers at the Ramgarhia Sikh Temple on Meynell Road had been celebrating the wedding of a committee member's daughter minutes earlier. The strike happened just after everyone had left.

Inderjit Singh Panesar, the president of the board at the temple said: "We left the Gurdwara at about half-past two. We had a full congregation of 200-250 people in the morning…Had the incident taken place half an hour earlier, it would have been a major disaster.

"I am still in shock and devastated for the community. "Members of the congregation sit near the stage…So I daren't imagine what might have been...I honestly think we would have had some fatalities [had people been here]."

No series injuries have been reported, but one woman was taken to hospital as a precaution.